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So, I found a new job…

…and was notified today that I’m not a felon so I can go to work for this company. It’s a contract-perm position, as are almost all positions these days. Last one of those I had, the company worked me through my contract, said they were ready to hire me, had all the paperwork ready and they’d see me on Monday. That was on a Friday. I got a call that evening from my agency that my “assignment had ended.” Turns out the company had no intention of hiring me and only told me so to keep me in my seat, and at my computer. They just put another temp in there. It wasn’t a performance issue or an attendance issue or a personality conflict. It was that the company didn’t want to hire a permanent person, thus incurring the costs of benefits and a higher wage. So they strung me a long with promises of permanent employment until my 580 hours were worked through, and then threw me out like so much garbage.

Enter offer number two. Just got it two weeks ago and background check came through clean today. Of course it did. I knew it would. Last week, I emailed my agency rep to let her know I have a doctor appointment on June 24th. I specified in my email that I wanted her to know in advance of starting at this company so that they would not start me on the 24th of June.

Guess what folks? Yep. She called me today to tell me I have to start on the 24th. When I mentioned my doctor appointment her voice went from light and airy to ugly in a blink. My doctor appointment was going to cause “huge issues” and I knew from her tone that if I didn’t reschedule it NOW, the offer would be withdrawn and they wouldn’t work me any more.

This is what you do when you’re unemployed. You take what you can get because you HAVE to take it, and I have serious doubts about the company I’m going to work for. They are punitive with their employees. I know this for a fact because a good friend of mine has worked for them for 10 years and has spent 7 of those 10 years stressed beyond any capacity I could understand. He needs to work, so he stays. He stays because he is a field rep and doesn’t have to go in and sit in a corporate office chair and spin on command each day. He stays because he is 60 and is virtually unemployable. He hates it.

So I call this “incident number one.” I’m told if I keep the doctor appointment I had trouble getting scheduled in the FIRST damned place, that I won’t have a job, only I’m not told that in so many words. I’m told it will be a “huge issue” in an ugly tone of voice.

Can’t wait for “incident number two.” You know it’s coming. So do I. Someone won’t like that I’m quiet and keep to myself, or if I attempt to “assimilate” someone else won’t like that. It’s the life of a temp – you get fired for breathing. Don’t ever believe you fit in anywhere at a company if you’re a temp. You are watched, evaluated, and criticized about anything and everything. If you eat at your desk, because everyone else does and you only have 30 min for lunch, you’re penalized because only “employees” can do that. More than one post-it pad on or in your desk? That’s theft, you know! Wear the wrong color shirt? That’s inappropriate.

I was lucky today. I was able to reschedule my doctor appointment. But tell me – is it appropriate, right or in anyone’s best interest to force me to trade health care for a JOB??? Is it legal (probably it is!) to imply that someone will have an offer of employment withdrawn if that person has notified her agency of a doctor appointment well in advance of employment?

I’m here to tell you, after almost three years of this bullshit: Don’t trust your agency, don’t trust Corporate America and don’t trust your co-workers. Do not trust anything your own eyes can’t see or your own ears can’t hear.

And off I go, to lovely evil corporate america, again. Wonder how this one will work out. And if anyone has the temerity to tell me I have a bad attitude, I suggest you get yourself unemployed for 3 years and then after that same time frame has passed and you’ve been passed around like a corporate whore from one company to another that makes you promise after promise and then shits all over you, to then post here about my attitude. Jus’ sayin’.

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5 thoughts on “So, I found a new job…”

Sounds like a terrible situation they put you in – and no it’s not legal that a job offer is contingent on your ability or inability to re-schedule a previously scheduled appt that was probably scheduled long before the job offer was on the table – so yeah I get your frustration – your allowed to be frustrated!

Thanks Readergirl! I suppose it won’t sit well with all the pop-psychology folks out there, but I don’t believe in magical thinking. I’ll do the best I can. My experience has been that my best is fine and dandy, until it comes time to actually hire me – or anyone else. This company goes through contract workers like water. I’m one of four new ones they’re hiring. Is this an economic turnaround? Oh hell no…

They burned through four temps, got rid of them when their contracts expired and are bringing in “fresh” blood.

I don’t think the situation they put me in is legal either, but I don’t have the money to find out.

On the upside, it’s income. At a cost to you I know, but it’s hellish to be unemployed. Rather than “magical thinking”, how about just “realistic & aware”- and that doesn’t discount gratitude to have been hired even temporarily? I mean, I do get where you’re coming from, but I also understand that in order to survive my tough times, I make sure to acknowledge & feel that personal gratitude that a good thing has happened, too. It may be a good thing wrapped in a not-so-good-thing, but it’s there none-the-less.

Congrats Miss C, on getting out of the bread-line, even if it’s “temp”-orarily. 🙂

Hey Tracy! I am actually grateful for the job. I need income. I’m simply taking a realistic view toward it. I’m looking forward to having the income, and trying to adjust my attitude with regard to the workplace and type of work I’ll be doing. I start tomorrow, and hopefully this will be my best dream instead of my continuing unemployment nightmare!

HI again, I’m glad for you. I guess what I mean to say is that the old chestnut of, “attitude is everything” is actually true. Nothing changes about the circumstances or the reality of the job, the management, or anything else- but what facets YOU decide to hone in on & appreciate is very much within your power. This isn’t a fuzzy-feel good-new-age thing- it’s very realistic & far more empowering & uplifting than allowing the ones who attempt to bring you down to prevail?

You hang in there & kudos, once again, for getting that job! Well done! 🙂